Shoe heel protector



Oct. 22, 1957 'r. CLEVE 2,810,215

SHOE HEEL PROTECTOR Filed April 5, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 4

Theodore Cleve Fig.3

,2 'II/ B; m ((m y Oct. 22, 1957 T. CLEVE 2,810,215

SHOE HEEL PROTECTOR Filed April 5, 1956 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

Fig. 8

Theodore Cleve IN V EN TOR.

BY m

nited States This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a shoe heel protector and more specifically relates to a heel lift having a wear resisting protective insert mounted therein.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a heel lift having a Wear resistant and protective insert embodied therein whereby one size of the heel lift may be readily applied by shoemakers and repairmen to different sizes of heel seats.

A further object of the invention is'to provide a heel lift including a protective insert of a relatively greater wear resistant material than that of the heel lift, in order to counteract the tendency to wear or run down the heels of shoes at a given position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction in conformity with the foregoing objects wherein the protective insert may be applied to a recess or notch extending inwardly from the edge of the heel lift 7 in an improved and more efficient manner.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a heel protective insert consisting of a wear resistant body which is bonded to a mounting plate which overlies both sides and the inward end of the body whereby the wear resistant body may be received in a recess or notch in the periphery of a heel lift with the mounting plate overlying the sides and ends of this notch upon the top surface of the heel lift.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figures 14 indicate a preferred embodiment in accordance with this invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the rear portion of a shoe having a heel lift incorporating the heel protector of this invention therein;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l but showing the heel after the heel lift has been applied to the heel base and before the trimming and finishing operation thereon has been performed;

Figure 3 is a detail view in vertical section substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of Figure 1 and showing the manner in which the heel lift, the heel protector insert and the heel base are associated in the finished shoe heel;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the heel protector in accordance with this embodiment of the invention;

Figures 5-8 disclose a slightly modified construction of this invention wherein:

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 and showing in full lines a finished shoe heel having the modified form of the heel lift and heel protector applied thereto, the dotted lines indicating the original portion of the heel lift and which has been trimmed therefrom to provide the finished heel construction;

atent shaped character.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the heel lift with a modified heel protector of this embodiment applied thereto;

Figure 7 is a detail view in vertical section substantially upon the plane of section line 7-7 of Figure 5 and showing the manner in which the heel lift, modified heel protector and the heel seat are associated in the finished shoe in accordance with this embodiment; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of this embodiment of the heel protective insert.

Referring first to the embodiment of Figures 1-4 it will be seen that there is illustrated a portion of a shoe 10 having thereon a conventional heel seat 12' and to which the heel lift 14 of this invention with its heel protector insert 16 has been applied.

The heel lift consists of any suitable material such as leather, rubber or a suitable composition, and in accordance with the present invention is constructed in a size somewhat larger than the heel base 12 in order that a single heel lift 14 may be applied to a different number of sizes of heel bases for repairing the same.

In accordance with the present invention the heel lift 14 is provided at any suitable location upon the outer edge of the same and at the rear portion thereof, with a notch or recess 18 which is preferably of a Wedge This recess is adapted to receive the heel protective insert indicated generally by the numeral 20 in accordance with this invention.

As shown in Figure 4 this insert consists of a wedge shaped body 22 which is constructed of any suitable material which is relatively more wear resistant than the 18, the convexly curved outer edge 24 thereof will be recessed considerably inwardly of the corresponding outer edge 26 of the heel lift. i

The protective insert further includes a mounting plate 28 which has side portions 30 which overlie and extend beyond the side edges of the body portion 20 and is further provided with an inwardly projecting end portion 32 which also extends beyond the inward end of the body portion 22. The mounting plate 28 may be of the same material as the insert portion 22 and in that event may conveniently be molded or otherwise formed integral therewith. It is, however, possible to form this mounting plate as a separate member, either of the same or other material, and to intimately bond the same to the portion 22 in any desired manner.

Preferably the outward edge of the mounting plate 28 is also convexly curved as at 34 in a manner which corresponds to and is complementary to the curvature 24 of the body 22 and of the curvature of the heel base 12.

When the heel lift is applied to a heel base as in Figure 2, the convex outer edge 24 of the insert member is placed in registration with the correspondingly convexly curved edge of the heel seat 12, with the sides of the heel lift overhanging the sides of the heel seat or heel base. Thereafter a finishing operation is performed whereby this overhanging portion is ground down to the finished condition of Figure 1.

As Will be seen in Figure 3, the mounting plate 28 is secured to the top surface of the heel lift in any suitable manner, as for example by an adhesive, by fasteners or the like. With the heel lift secured to the heel base in conventional manner, this mounting plate is clamped 3 between the adjacent surfaces of the lift and the base. It will be noted that the body portion 22 of the protective insert is of the same thickness as the heel lift to thus provide a smooth continuation of the top and bottom sur faces of the same. j

Referring now to the modified construction of Figure 5, it will be seen that the heel lift is identical with that previously described, having the insert receiving, notch 18 for the reception of a protective insert 40. The insert 40 likewise has the convexly curved outer edge 42 and when placed in the recess or notch 18 in the heel lift is positioned inwardly thereof as shown in Figure 6. However, in this form of the invention a mounting plate 44 is separately formed and is attached to the insert body portion 40 by bonding, adhesive or by fasteners in any desired manner. This mounting plate is preferably of a T-shaped configuration with laterally extending wings or arms 46 and a stern portion48, the arms and stem portion overlying the adjacent sides and the inner edge of the body portion 40 and overlying the top surface of the heel lift, as will be apparent from Figure 6. Suitable apertures 50 are formed in the arms and stem portion of the mounting plate for the reception of fasteners such as screws or the like 52 whereby the protector is applied to the heel lift.

As will be particularly noted from Figure 6, the outer edge of the mounting plate is convexly curved at 54 corresponding to the curvature of the edge 42 of the insert body portion 40 and the corresponding outer edge 56 of the heel lift. The application of the heel lift to a heel base is identical with that previously described.

It will be observed that in both embodiments of the invention the heel protective insert is secured to aheel lift and the assembled article is then applied to a heel base to complete the heel structure of a shoe The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A shoe heel construction comprising a heel base, a heel lift secured to said base, said heel lift having a peripheral notch in its rearward edge, an insert received the portion of maximum width of said plate and being spaced inwardly from said body outer edge and in parallel relation thereto.

2. A heel lift adapted to be secured to a shoe heel base, said lift having a peripheral notch in its rearward edge, an insert received in said notch and comprising a body of a relatively more wear resistant material than that of the heel lift, said body being of substantially the same thickness as said heel lift and having a convexly curved outer edge conforming to and adapted to be placed in registration with a portion of the outer edge of said heel base, said body having a mounting plate extending laterally therefrom with an arcuate outer edge corresponding to the outer edge of said body, said arcuate outer edge lying upon the portion of maximum width of said plate and being spaced inwardly from said body outer edge and in parallel relation thereto, said body having said outer edge recessed into said notch inwardly of the outer edge of said heel lift and the latter being of larger dimensions than a heel base whereby when the body outer edge is placed in registration with a selected portion of a heel base the excess material of the heel lift overhanging the edges of the heel base may be trimmed and said arcuate edge will lie in parallel relation to the adjacent heel base outer edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 279,559 Forbis June 19, 1883 318,035 Sanford May l9, l885 357,386 Hollenbeck Feb. 8, 1887 555,709 Sage Mar. 3, 1896 1,095,325 Hepfinger May 5, 1914 2,398,092 Guttmann Apr. 9, 1946 2,562,265 Fussell July 31, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 620,742 Great Britain Mar. 29, 1949 

